Eating - Kyoto - page 66

Izakaya can be identified by their rustic facades and the red lanterns outside their doors
bearing the kanji for izakaya ( 居酒屋 ). Many also stack crates of beer and sake bottles
outside. Since izakaya food is casual fare to go with drinking, it is usually fairly inexpens-
ive. Depending on how much you drink, you can expect to get away with spending ¥2500
to ¥5000 per person.
SUSHI & SASHIMI
There are two main types of sushi: nigiri-zushi (served on a small bed of rice - the most
common variety) and maki-zushi (served in a seaweed roll). Sushi without rice is known
as sashimi or tsukuri (or, politely, o-tsukuri ).
Sushi is not difficult to order. If you sit at the counter of a sushi restaurant you can
simply point at what you want, as most of the selections are visible in a refrigerated glass
case between you and the sushi chef. You can also order à la carte from the menu. When
ordering, you usually order ichi-nin mae (one portion), which usually means two pieces of
sushi. Be careful, since the price on the menu will be that of only one piece.
If ordering à la carte is too daunting, you can take care of your whole order with just
one or two words by ordering mori-awase, an assortment plate of nigiri-zushi . These usu-
ally come in three grades: futsū nigiri (regular nigiri ), jō nigiri (special nigiri ) and toku-
jō nigiri (extra-special nigiri ). The difference is in the type of fish used. Most mori-awase
contain six or seven pieces of sushi.
Before popping the sushi into your mouth, dip it very lightly in shōyu (soy sauce),
which you pour from a small decanter into a low dish specially provided for the purpose.
If you're not good at using hashi (chopsticks), don't worry - sushi is one of the few foods
in Japan that it's perfectly acceptable to eat with your hands. Slices of gari (pickled
ginger) will also be served to help refresh the palate. The beverage of choice with sushi is
beer or sake (hot in winter and cold in summer), with a cup of green tea at the end of the
meal.
RĀMEN
The Japanese imported this dish from China and put their own spin on it to make what is
one of the world's most delicious fast foods. Rāmen dishes are big bowls of noodles in a
meat broth, served with a variety of toppings, such as sliced pork, bean sprouts and leeks.
In some restaurants you may be asked if you'd prefer kotteri (thick and fatty) or assari
(thin and light) soup. Other than this, ordering is simple: just sidle up to the counter and
say rāmen, or ask for any of the other choices usually on offer. Expect to pay between
¥500 and ¥900 for a bowl. Since rāmen is derived from Chinese cuisine, some rāmen res-